Into a dark tunnel

Hello!! It’s been a month since the last post. I shall admit one thing. I’ve not been in good shape in terms of my mental health. It’s not major just a tad on the minor side.This is all down to Let’s move onto what I want to talk about in this post.

I’ve not done much in terms of being creative since I need to make stuff to sell at a local primary school Christmas market next weekend. It feels like I don’t have much but it’s as much as I can produce myself. Each item takes up at least 2 days of my time whilst at work. I will also admit that I’ve lost the mojo for a week or two when I just wanted to knit for me.

I went to the knitting and stitch show at Glasgow a few weekends ago with my friend. We were glad that we got the tickets at half price since there wasn’t much of what we expected to be there. I think two thirds of the vendors there was paper crafts and only a handful was what we liked |(yarn and fabric). We were both tight on cash so only bought a small amount of treats. I was tempted with a lot of yarn and fabric but I had to be sensible. Since we were done by early afternoon we decided to go to Ikea too. We manage to spend 2 hours there and had a quick tea before heading home.

I don’t have much else for the catch up section of this blog.

WIP’s

I have

-African Flower blanket, crochet 60 more rings to fill up the gaps in the corners

-crochet shawl using Sheepjes Whirl in the melting macaroon colourway

-socks for me in a vanilla pattern using Regia 4 Fadig which I bought on a whim whilst shopping at Hobbycraft.

-scarf in the blues from Aldi (UK) yarn cake. I’m basically doing a garter st so nothing fancy.

-Royal mile shawl, yes this is still on the needles. I’ve not had much time to knit this one although I ‘m onto the 3rd lace section. I’m using Eden Cottage Yarns Bowland 4ply in Misty Woods and a purple. I can’t remember the colourway name since I’ve lot the tag.

-Rosings Grove as part of a KAL hosted by Ruth of Knitterarium. For that I’m using Fluph’s Doll Base in space fruits and Rowan on the Fine Art base in the red/purple/pink colourway as the Contrast colour.

That’s a lot to talk about and I’ve just bullet pointed them.

Finished Objects

I have done a fair few hats using the crochet puff stitch style and knitted some in basic stocking stitch. Sewing wise, I’ve made a few project bags in Christmas fabric that I bought from Hobbycraft.

As I said, I lost a bit of mojo for a week so I do apologise on the lack of creative content. However, through this dark tunnel I have treated myself to some stuff whilst I could.

Treats! Yarn piggery alert!

It may look like I have gone slightly overboard! But this is a hobby itself and it brought me lots of happiness whilst I’m still in this dark tunnel. There is a dim light shining through now but until then I’m still in the shadows for the time being. Please do not judge!

I went to a not so local yarn shop last weekend. I usually try to go once a month as it’s the next town along the road. (30 -45 mins drive) from home. When I arrived, I noticed that sign on their door was 40% off all yarn. I thought oh no!! Something isn’t good. Turns out one of the ladies who was running the shop is retiring. The other lady has something else planned but couldn’t reveal what it is at the time. With the sale in mind, I could have easily bought everything they had. No! I couldn’t afford it so I only allowed myself to get some stuff. Turned out to be 2 garments worth of yarn, 2 pairs of socks and mittens. Do you want to know exactly what it was? This is all from the top of my head because I have put them away.

9 balls of LetiLoppi (thinking of colourwork yoked sweater)

2 balls of West Yorkshire Spinners signature 4 ply and a striping one.

11 balls of 3 different colours of Jamieson and Smtihs 2 ply jumper weight. (Another colourwork cardigan) and a pair or 2 of mittens.

As if that wasn’t enough. Victoria of Eden Cottage Yarns had an update on a limited yarn base and a rare sale.

15 balls of Whitfield DK in Dogwood (a heavily cabled cardigan) I even know the pattern I want to try. it’s from Pom Pom Quarterly issue 21 (5th birthday), it’s Anniversaire by Veera-Valimaki

1 skein of Linton in one of the Cottage Origianls colourway.

To top all of that off, I went to another local yarn shop. This one is just in town so not far to travel.

15 balls of Debbie Bliss Bluefaced Leicester Aran. (Yes I know, another sweaters quantity) I also got some Knit Pro Zings DPN’s as I’m getting a bit bummed down when I snap my Brittany needles by mistake.

I almost forgot, there was craft fair too and I supported a local dyer. I purchased 2 of her skein just because I liked the colours and one of the fibre blends was different.

Oh! I did order something online too but it’s not arrrived yet so it can wait to go into the next post whenever that is.

one other treat that isn’t yarn. That is my Frosted Pumplin Stitchery SAL kit that I got through The Homemakery shop. I still need to buy the pattern to start stitching but it will have to wait until I’m done at the Christmas Market.

To be quite fair, I could have easily bought more online as I’m discovering more new to me indie dyers and it’s all gorgeous colours in fabulous bases.

here is a quick list of things that I would have bought if I could.

Attic 24 new colour pack

Norah George Yarn’s December club

Sophies Universe Stool Kit

more Eden Cottage Yarns (Sparkle base in Thunder) (Titus 4ply probably 2 colours)

and many more indie dyed yarns, too many to list just now.

So, think I’ve covered everything for this post. Thank you for reading this far if you made it through the WIPs’s and Treats!

Hopefully, when I’’m next typing I’ll be out of this dark tunnel. Until then folks, take care and happy crafting!